Soluble alizarin blue



UNITED STATES V PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI N. F. SOI-IAEFFER, or LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOLUBLE ALIZARIN BLUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,457, dated October16,-1894.

l Application filed January 9, 1893. Renewed December 2. 1893. SerialNo. 492,644. (No specimens.)

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRI N. F. SOHAEF- FER, of Belfort, Haut-Rhein,France, but now residing in Lowell, county of Middlesex, and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Soluble AlizarinDerivatives and Methods of Making the Same, of which the followingdescription is a specification.

This invention relates to soluble derivatives of alizarin and to a novelmethod for making the same, whereby the said derivatives are renderedsoluble, and especially adapted to be used in dyeing processes whichrequire a substantially high heat to effect the reaction between thecoloring matter and the mordant, such as is required in dyeing wool.

My present invention relates more partio' ularly to a production ofsoluble modifications of nitro-alizarin, alizarin-blue, alizarinyellowand like derivatives of alizarin, which bodies are normally insoluble.

Prior to my present invention, I am not aware that a solublemodification of nitroalizarin has been produced, butprior to my presentinvention, I am aware that a soluble modification of alizarin-blue hasbeen made by means of bi-sulphite of soda, as described in United StatesPatent No. 258,530, dated May 23, 1882, but such soluble modification ofalizarin-blue has been found to be defective for dyeing wool, owing tothe fact, that when the temperature of the dye-bath has been raised toboiling point, which is necessary to efiect the formation of the lake inthe wool, the compound of the bi-sulphite with the alizarin-blue is moreor less decomposed by the high heat due to the boiling, and a portion ofthe alizarin-blueis again rendered insoluble, and as a result, theinsoluble alizarin-blue is precipitated to the bottomof the vat, or itcombines in part with the mordant on the outside or surface of the wool,and consequently, a lake is formed on the out side of the wool, which ismechanically held to the Wool, and in practice, a lake, thus formed,rubs OK or crocks.

My present invention has for its object to provide a solublemodification of the insoluble alizarin derivatives,which are unaffectedby a substantially high temperature, such as the boiling point of water,and which are capable of dyeing woolwithout danger of the United Statespatent referred to, possesses the objectionable features above setforth, by reason of the fact that the bi-sulphite compound ofalizarin-blue and like compounds are stable when cold, but unstable whensub jected to a substantially high temperature,

I as for instance, when subjected to 100 centigrade or the boiling pointof water.

By experiment, Ihave ascertained that a soluble compound ormodificationof an insoluble alizarin derivative, which is stable undersubstantially high temperatures and which when boiled is not decomposedby heat, may be produced by heating the insolnble alizarin derivative,such as alizarin blue, and boracic acid in dry form and then adding analkali to this mixture.

In order that my invention may be more a clearly comprehended, I willdescribe the method preferred by me for making the soluble alizarinderivative, and for sake of illustration, I will describe the method ofmaking a soluble alizarin-blue, which is unaffected by substantiallyhigh temperatures, and which is capable of dyeing wool without theobjectionable features attending the method of dyeing with bi-sulphitesoluble modifications of alizarin-blue.

In accordance with my invention, the alizarin derivative oralizarin-vblue is first rendered anhydrous, and is then mixed with dryor chrystallized boracic acid in proportions of about one part coloringmatter or anhydrous alizarin-blue, and two parts dry boracic acid. Thismixture is then heated in a vessel until a fusion is efiected, that is,until the dry boracic acid melts, and when melted, the mixture isallowed to cool. The cooled mass, thus formed, is then preferably groundto a substantially fine powder and heated. An alkali is then added tothe heated mass to form a thick paste, which hardens in cooling, andwhen cooled, is reduced to powdered form, which is perfectly soluble inwater and more quickly soluble in boiling water, with a pure indigoshade. The soluble modification of alizarin-blue, thus produced, dyeswool with the usual mordants, as for instance chrome, and the coloringmatter is chemically combined with the mordant, and when subjected tothe boiling process to effect the combination between the coloringmatter and the mordant, the soluble modification of the alizarin-blue isnot decomposed or split off, but remains in solution until combined withthe mordant, and consequently, the color or lake, thus produced, doesnot rub off or crock, and is fast to light and soap and possesses allthe good properties of the insoluble alizarin-blue.

By reason of the stability of my improved soluble modification of thealizarin derivatives, they are not decomposed when boiled, andconsequently, in dyeing wool, the alizarin derivative is notprecipitated but remains in solution and is thoroughly used up, as thecoloring matter combines with the mord'ant. By means of my improvedsoluble modification of the alizarin derivatives,.a very' materialsaving in the amount of coloring matter employed is efiiected in wooldyeing, and in addition, the objectionable feature of crocking orrubbing off of the coloring matter on the wool is entirely avoided.

I have described the manner of making a soluble modification ofalizarin-blue, but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respectas a soluble modification of nitro-aliza rin may be made in the samemanner, and also a soluble modification of other insoluble derivativesof alizarin, such for instance as alizarin-yellow, may be made.Furthermore, I do not desire to limit myself to the exact proportionsmentioned, as the same may be varied, as for instance, in making asoluble nitro-alizarin, I find that substantially onehalf of thequantity of suffice.

I claiin- 1. The method of making soluble modifications of insolublealizarin derivatives, whichdry boracic acid will consists in heating aninsoluble alizarin derivative and boracic acid in dry form and adding tothe mixture thus formed an alkali, substantially as described.

2. The method of making a soluble modification of insoluble alizarinblue, which consists in heating insoluble alizarin blue andcharacteristics, viz:--solublein water, not decomposed by boiling, andcapableof being used in wool-dyeing without precipitation of theinsoluble alizarin derivative, substantially as described. v

4. As anew article of manufacture, a soluble alizarin blue derived frominsoluble alizarin blue, boracic acid and an alkali and having thefollowing characteristics, viz: soluble in water, stable when heated andnot decomposed by boiling, capable of dyeing wool without precipitationof the insoluble ali'zarin blue, and dyeing a pure indigo shade, fast tolight and soap, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRI N. F. S'CHAEFFER.

Witnesses:

J AS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 527,457fl It is hereby certified thatin Letters Patent No. 527,457, granted October 16, 1894, upon theapplication of Henri N. F. Schaeffer, of Lowell, Massachusetts, for animprovement in Soluble Alizarin Blue, an error appears in the printedspecification requiring the following correction: In line 59, page 2,the word in should be stricken out; and that the Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Otfice.

Signed, countersig'ned, and sealed this 13th day of November, A. D.1894.

[SEAL] JNO. M. REYNOLDS,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Oountersigned J OHN S. SEYMOUR,

Commissioner of Patents.

